I narrowed my eyes and scrunched up my nose. "We both have magic. But why not just hire us if that is what they want?"
"The Fae also reported a child stolen three days ago, from a Fae compound in daylight, no one saw anything. Whoever this is has magic, we think they want more." Larissa said oblivious to the looks I and Adam were now throwing at her.
"Just how long have you been working on this Miss I Hurt My Ankle?" I barked. How could she work a case without telling me? I was her Head of Coven. She was supposed to report any missions or findings to me and yet I'd known nothing of this before now.
"I knew you wouldn’t be too mad Syn, they found this at one of the scenes. And I couldn't tell you, Alden insisted it be kept quiet until we had more information," she tossed a small trinket on the bed.
It was my mother's locket. I flinched and picked it up placing it in my hand. "How? Where did you find this?"
"At one of the first scenes. No connection can be made between them or your parents so far," Larissa said and smiled sadly, "We were afraid it would dredge up the past too much for you."
I snorted. "You should have told me Larissa, Why would someone be killing immortals?" I asked myself out loud. It made no sense, but neither did the murders of innocent women. "Are we sure it's only women?" I asked as an afterthought struck me.
"So far. Why? What are you thinking?" Larissa said narrowing her eyes.
"And the Fae, they're actually dead? Not regenerating?"
She nodded in confirmation.
"So whoever this is can kill an immortal Fae and is strong enough to withstand Witches' powers?" I asked trying to think of what, if any creature I'd ever encountered that could manage a feat that great.
"Alden thinks so but it makes no sense since they're killing Witches and Fae for body parts. The only break we've got is they had pictures of Arianna inside one of the crime scenes. With a giant red X on her face." Larissa stalls, her eyes turning to take in my pale complexion.
I'd had enough of the Fae and Ryder. My eyes drifted over the charm, simple yet beautifully crafted. It was hers and I'd watched the Fae tear it from her neck before leaving the strong beautiful woman who had raised me, reduced to nothing but a mindless body. Those empty eyes haunted my dreams, she haunted them.
"Alden says that this might just be a serial killer, but one who is doing it on a massive scale and can kill immortals."
The phone in the kitchen rang and Adam jumped up quickly leaving the room to answer it, which was a habit of his since he spent more time at our place than at his own.
He came back a few seconds later and tossed a curious look at Larissa. "Alden's on the line. Says it's urgent."
We both watched as Larissa exhaled deeply and headed for the kitchen alone. Two seconds later we followed her, too curious as to what Alden wanted to stay in the bedroom and wait. We rounded the corner in time to watch her eyes go wide and then wince at whatever was being said on the other end of the phone.
"That can't be good," Adam said jumping up to sit on the bare counter and reached for the jar of peanut butter.
"Yes I understand," Larissa was saying in a strictly professional voice, "Yes we'll go to the scene," she paused, biting her lip and nodded as if Alden would be able to see the motion. "No, I understand and we'll be strictly professional."
She hung up the phone and turned to Adam who had grown bored with the conversation and was focused on licking peanut butter off his finger, sucking on it for a moment before he noticed us both staring at him.
"What? I got hungry waiting."
We both looked at him and shook our heads. I narrow my eyes on Larissa. My brain knew what is coming before she says it. It wasn’t good.
"They found another dead Fae, Alden's sending us since you're now working for the Dark Prince. His men will assist us at the site."
Just freaking peachy!
"Let me guess, the prince himself will be there?" Adam said falling in line with my thoughts.
Larissa sighed and nodded slowly, "You guys need to be professional, it's one of their own that was killed and for them—it's huge, someone is killing off immortals."
"And Witches," I piped in making sure she hadn't missed that fact. We weren't immortal. She seemed to be forgetting that there was a trail of bodies and a killer of Witches and Fae alike on the loose. Whoever it was needed to be stopped and fast.
Eleven
We pulled up at the dead Fae’s house shortly after five o’clock. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon bringing beautiful contrasting colors to the dour mood of the crowd gathered around the crime scene trying to catch a peek at the body of the deceased.